Oyaide Polished Contacts

Oyaide defines a new standard of excellence...

While other manufacturers reworked existing AC connector and receptacle designs to adapt them for audio, Oyaide engineers (whose knowledge of physics and materials with regard to sound is second to none) set out to examine each material employed in exhaustive detail to determine what would yield the best result. Oyaide determined their connectors would have to be designed and built “from the ground up”. In the process, Oyaide has defined a new standard of excellence.

What are the most important considerations for a secure AC electrical connection?

1.) Appropriate Hardness: The contact material must maintain its exact shape over time without any adverse effect to the sound

2.) Appropriate Springiness: The material should have the ability to rebound from the compression of first contact and expand to make firm long-term contact. This is highly important as a superior contact has the ability to eliminate vibration due to the movement of electrons (current) or electromagnetic fields (signal) through the contacts. For clean transport, secure contacts are crucial.

3.) Conductivity

4.) Appropriate Choice of plating materials: The type of materials, their combinations and thickness must be carefully chosen

5.) Surface finish: At a microscopic level, where metal meets metal, the more flat and uniform the final finish, the greater the level of contact. Strict control of surface quality, including uniformity of plating thickness, is a must for cleaner sound quality.

Representation of typical contact at extreme close-up	Micro-arcing will occur as a result of an imperfect connection, drawing in noise.
Vibration will occur as a result of an imperfect connection, smearing signal.	Representation of Oyaide contact at extreme close-up

How do Oyaide connectors differ from typical “Audio Grade” connectors?

1.) Oyaide connectors use Deoxidized Phosphor Bronze as a base material, which meets the first three criteria listed above almost perfectly (appropriate hardness, springiness and conductivity). Typical “audio grade” connectors use brass, which is weak, lacks springiness and is generally not pure, containing significant amounts of iron and lead. Copper, while having superior conductivity to brass, lacks appropriate hardness and springiness.

2.) Oyaide did exhaustive research not only into which plating materials would be optimal, but also into which combinations and what thickness would yield the best result. Typical plating methods do not meet the laboratory grade standard necessary to achieve the best contact. All Oyaide products are plated using the highly precise hard contact plating method, which must be performed in their state of the art facility. The use of nickel, which degrades the sound, is avoided. The three equally valid and accurate combinations arrived at are:

A.) Silver/Rhodium – Pure, strong, solid, uncolored reproduction – providing a very extended sound field.

B.) Direct Gold - bold, sweet, luxurious, dynamic and lucid character

C.) Gold/Palladium – the character of Gold with an added vibrancy and a cooler, fresher feeling

3.) The contacts of Oyaide connectors are polished twice before plating and twice again after each plating process. This attention to detail is unrivalled. Even a cursory examination of a typical “audiophile grade” connector will reveal a rough surface. By comparison, the Oyaide connector is polished to a jewelry quality finish, not for looks, though that is a desirable side benefit, but for best connectivity and therefore best sound. ( See point 5 above)

Why are these differences important to the audio enthusiast?

• Safety and reliability: The quality of construction of all Oyaide products exceeds all requirements for trouble-free, long-term use.

• Value: While the cost of Oyaide connectors and receptacles is in the same range as competing products, the level of performance will far outstrip them.

• Level of performance: To outfit your system with Oyaide products is to enter into a new universe of sound. How could anyone predict that merely changing a plug or receptacle could so dramatically improve the sound of a hi-fi system?